Many merchants don't care about their own country at all. They just import ninja tools from outside, then resell them at a high price in the Land of Rain. As for whether those tools end up being used to kill Rain's civilians or shinobi—they couldn't care less.
Kiyohara figured the merchant in this mission was probably that kind of person.
"This one should take the least time, so… I think this mission is the best choice. Right now Iwagakure is struggling to even look after itself, and the shinobi stationed in the Rain border should be relatively thin," Kiyohara said.
He analyzed the first two missions first, then stated the one he wanted.
He planned to try his luck—capture one or two Iwa shinobi for interrogation. If he got lucky, he might learn something about a Steel Release user.
Genma looked over the map too and felt Kiyohara's reasoning made sense.
A mission was a mission.
He took a breath and nodded. "I agree."
Kurenai hesitated. She leaned toward the safer option, but she also understood how critical intel was in wartime.
Seeing that both Kiyohara and Genma agreed, she followed suit and chose the same mission.
"Escorting a caravan… that's fine," Orochimaru said, showing no emotion.
To him, all three missions were trivial. Difficulty made no difference.
Leading Kiyohara's team wouldn't cost him much time.
"Alright. It's decided—escort the caravan into the Land of Rain."
Orochimaru rolled up the scrolls.
"Prepare yourselves. Meet at the village gate in three days, then depart."
He deliberately left a three-day buffer so the team could sort equipment and adjust their condition.
"Yes," the three answered in unison.
After Orochimaru left, Genma looked gloomy.
He didn't want to do any mission, and yet every option was in the Rain.
"I've heard it rains there constantly. I'll need a waterproof cloak," Genma muttered.
He'd never been sent to the Rain before.
"Take your time preparing," Kiyohara said.
That afternoon he also needed to sort his own things—and sell some sand iron.
These days, whenever he had time, Kiyohara would sell whatever sand iron he'd collected and also test whether he could attract other kinds of metal.
"Yeah," Kurenai agreed.
The Rain was wet year-round, conditions were complicated, infiltration was heavy, and the country was chaotic—wandering shinobi and missing-nin moved around freely. It was genuinely dangerous.
Its location was special: wedged between three great nations as a buffer zone.
In the previous war, it had been a battlefield too—and carried all the scars.
After saying goodbye to the others, Kiyohara sold off the ninja tools he'd obtained and got more than a million ryō.
He repaid part of his loan and bought a high-quality chainmail undershirt.
He also purchased more expensive, higher-grade wire for his shuriken-manipulation technique.
With Uchiha Madara potentially sending White Zetsu to stir trouble at any time, Kiyohara wanted his gear upgraded first.
"Ugh… copper wire still has a ceiling," Kiyohara muttered as he organized the new wire into his ninja pouch.
He found himself thinking: if he had Kakuzu's secret technique Earth Grudge Fear, those threads would be far tougher and sharper for binding tools.
Judging by how Kakuzu used them, those threads were no joke.
Just as Kiyohara finished his purchases and was about to head back to complete Orochimaru's assignments for the day, he heard a familiar voice near the laboratory entrance.
"Orochimaru! You have to lend me this time—just fifty thousand ryō! I swear I'll win and pay you back double!"
On the street, Tsunade—blonde twin tails, a figure impossible to ignore—was blocking Orochimaru, her ample chest subtly trembling as she gestured.
Orochimaru's expression didn't change, but somehow he still looked deeply resigned.
"Tsunade. I've told you many times. My funds are tied up in research. I don't have spare money."
"What use is your research—" Tsunade started, then spotted Kiyohara walking over. Her eyes lit up like she'd found salvation.
"Hey, little— ahem, kid. You're here."
She greeted Kiyohara enthusiastically.
She'd heard his later performance had been outstanding. In a few days the village would probably issue additional reward money—meaning this "kid" might soon have cash again.
Kiyohara stopped and could only sigh inwardly: gambling really was a bottomless abyss. No matter how much you had, it still wasn't enough.
Tsunade was a Senju princess. Even if the Senju clan no longer existed as an organized group, Hashirama, Mito, and even Tobirama (who had no descendants) would have left assets—likely inherited by Tsunade.
And yet she'd still ended up like this, ducking debt collectors whenever she was outside the village.
"Orochimaru-sama. Tsunade-sama," Kiyohara greeted.
At that moment, a Root operative appeared silently and whispered to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru nodded, then said to Tsunade and Kiyohara, "I have something to deal with. You two talk."
He left quickly with the Root ninja, leaving Kiyohara alone under Tsunade's bright, hungry gaze.
"Hehe… kid, now no one's interrupting."
Tsunade stepped closer. She carried a faint blend of alcohol and perfume.
"Well? I've taken a liking to you. Didn't you say you could get one day of guidance? I'll add another day—how about that?"
"To be honest, I did gain something from recent missions," Kiyohara said carefully, "but most of it's already been converted into necessary tools and supplies. What I have left… isn't exactly abundant."
He still had money, sure—but he couldn't just hand it over that easily.
Money could be loaned, but it had to be loaned slowly, smoothly, and late—so Tsunade would feel how hard-earned it was.
Tsunade looked disappointed, already thinking whether she should send Shizune to do paid medical visits for wealthy clients.
"But if it's Tsunade-sama… I can lend you some."
Kiyohara pulled out part of the cash and handed it over.
It was money from selling Mist shinobi gear—spending it didn't hurt.
All expenses tonight: paid by Kirigakure.
Tsunade had thought she was getting nothing; now it was suddenly a windfall. She brightened.
"Not bad, kid. I'm free today—might as well guide you for the next few days."
"I'm in," Kiyohara nodded.
Tsunade then took Kiyohara to Konoha Hospital.
Even though she rarely performed surgery anymore, her authority here was still untouchable.
At this point in time, there probably wasn't anyone stronger than her in medical skill.
She brought him into a fully equipped medical lab lined with neatly arranged tools.
Tsunade took out a clear container where several lively carp swam.
"Let's see how solid your basics are. Use Regeneration Technique—the one I gave you," she said.
She told Kiyohara to cut a line along a fish's belly, then heal it.
Afterward, she turned away and sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, one foot dangling in the air—red nail polish visible, though slightly faded as if it hadn't been redone in a while.
Even fish blood made her uncomfortable due to her hemophobia.
Kiyohara went to the operating table, picked up a scalpel, and made a clean, straight incision.
Blood seeped out; the fish thrashed.
Immediately, Kiyohara's left palm covered the wound, glowing with gentle green light as he used Regeneration Technique.
With his stacked Yang chakra talent, the green light was denser than a normal shinobi's.
Cells at the wound edge divided and regenerated under chakra stimulation; the cut closed at a visible pace.
The whole process took under a minute.
The fish flopped twice, seemingly not in much pain, then settled.
Kiyohara transferred it into another clean container and disposed of the bloody water.
"Tsunade-sama, it's done."
"So fast?" Tsunade glanced at the fish. Its belly looked smooth and intact, with almost no sign it had been cut.
She stepped closer and inspected it, surprise flickering in her eyes.
"Your Yang chakra is very active. That's rare talent for a medic."
Kiyohara nodded.
Two inheritances of Yang talent really had boosted his vitality-related potential.
"But medical ninjutsu isn't just talent," Tsunade said, walking to a rack of reagents and vessels.
"Fine chakra control takes tens of thousands of repetitions. And you need to memorize a mountain of knowledge."
She then hauled out a stack of thick books: Pharmacology Basics, Shinobi Meridian System, Yang Attribute and Medical Ninjutsu, Cells and Chakra, and more.
"All of this is essential," Tsunade said.
Kiyohara stared.
The stack was nearly a full meter tall.
Tsunade dragged over a chair, sat, and took a sip from a small flask.
"Tell me. Are you learning medical ninjutsu because you really want to pursue it… or is it just a support skill?"
"Support," Kiyohara answered honestly, "but I want a solid foundation. On the battlefield, one more skill means one more way to survive. And… medical ninjutsu improves chakra control across the board. It helps with everything else too."
"That's a clear-headed answer." Tsunade smiled.
"A lot of people think medics just hide in the back and heal. But top-tier medics? Their combat ability is no worse than anyone's."
If someone else had said that, Kiyohara might not have believed it.
But coming from Tsunade, he absolutely did.
She was the ultimate battle-medic: heals and hits like a monster.
For the rest of the afternoon, Kiyohara trained under Tsunade's guidance.
Even with only a single day, the benefits were enormous.